She's On The Roof
by Oregano
Summary: Sequel to I Have No Idea. Raine comes back to Stars Hollow. I'M DONE! I'M DONE! R&R please.
1. Raymond Hacker

0.1 Raymond Hacker  
  
[hi people! it's me! i'm back! and so is raine! yay! i don't know exactly where this is going, but i hope you all read it! it would be nice also if you guys could review. thanks!]  
  
[disclaimer: only raine is mine. oh, and leo, too.]  
  
"Okay, you two disgusting people. I'm going to the diner to keep Luke company. You guys are too gross to be with." Lorelai walked to the door. She opened it and stopped.  
  
"You two have a nice eight-month anniversary, alright? Jess, if you take any of my beer again, I'll smack you with my shoe."  
  
"Yes, mommy dearest."  
  
"Don't call me that, Jess. Bye Rory!"  
  
  
Luke was upstairs, watching television. It had been months since Raine left. He missed her terribly. He replayed her eagerness and youth in his mind. He thought about the way she got all excited over little things, or how well she behaved when things went wrong. A knock on the door broke his thoughts.  
  
"Hey, chum. Why so glum?"  
  
He grinned a little at Lorelai's voice.  
  
"What are you doing here, Lorelai?"  
  
"I see you've found the grown-up TV. I came over because your nephew and my daughter are celebrating. It's their eighth month together and they're mutating into mutants who can't get enough of each other. It's horribly demoralizing."  
  
Lorelai sat beside him and brought out a plain white letter envelope.  
  
"I found it downstairs. It was stuck in your mailbox."  
  
Luke took the letter and studied the front. It was for him.  
  
"So who's Raymond Hacker? Sounds like a serial killer." Lorelai asked. She watched as Luke quickly tore the envelope and read its contents. He held the Snoopy stationery with shaking hands. He looked up and smiled faintly.  
  
"It's Raine."  
  
"Raine?"  
  
"Yeah. She writes to me from time to time. Apparently, she lives in Los Angeles and she's a magazine model now. Go figure."  
  
"Wow, she got as far as LA? But why the serial killer name?"  
  
"Oh, ah, she doesn't want Jess to know that she keeps contact with me. Oh, God, Jess! Lorelai, you can't tell him about any of this alright?"  
  
"Okay, I won't. Just tell me why, Luke."  
  
"Well, I never told you, but do you remember Raine just disappearing a few months ago?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. The whole town was talking about it."  
  
"Do you know why she left? Only you and I know about this, and Dean, too, okay?"  
  
"Dean?! How does HE fit in all this?"  
  
Luke turned the television off and slowly told Lorelai the whole story.  
  
  
It had been four months since she got this job, one year exactly from the time she left Stars Hollow. Raine looked at the reflection of herself in the mirror in front of her. Unknown hands floated all around her face, transforming it into a canvas of beauty and color. They abruptly stopped moving, finished making her someone else.  
  
Through the mascara and the foundation and the eyeliner that were weighing down her face, Raine squinted at her own image and whispered, "Who the hell am I?"  
  
"Are you okay, hon?"   
  
"No, I'm not, Leo. I have to leave."  
  
"But the photo shoot is starting in five minutes!"  
  
Raine stood up and ran to her trailer. She had to leave. She wasn't Raine anymore. She had become a commodity. She had to change that.   
  
She had to find herself again. And she knew exactly where to go. 


	2. Ricky Martin's Hotpants

0.2 Ricky Martin's Hotpants  
  
Raine jumped into her car and drove as fast as she could to the airport. The wheels screeched as she hit a sharp turn. She heard a small yelp.  
  
"So this is why you don't date! You're an insane psycho!"  
  
Leo's head popped out from the backseat. He crossed his legs and rifled through Raine's belongings.  
  
"What are you doing here, Leo?"  
  
"Eh. Snuck in while you were getting your stuff. I'm coming with you. I'll be your manly bodyguard."  
  
"Oh, please, Leo. You're so gay, you couldn't hit a guy even if your life depended on it."  
  
He chose to ignore her comment.  
  
"So, my lady, where in the name of Ricky Martin's hotpants are we going?"  
  
"Connecticut, my friend."  
  
"CONNECTICUT? What the hell is in Connecticut?!"  
  
Raine was quiet as she thought of Jess.  
  
"My life, Leo."  
  
  
At the diner, Jess was once again closing up. He felt a pang of sadness as he wiped the tables clean. He still couldn't forget Raine; still didn't know why she left. He stared out the window, into the direction of where he first found her.  
  
He ran a hand through his hair. She used to make so much fun of it.  
  
"Why do you wear it like that, Jess? You could KILL someone with your spiky, skyscraper-high hair."  
  
"Jess, you hair is sticking up!"  
  
"I can't see through your hair, man. It's too tall!"  
  
He smiled as he remembered all the things she did and all the things she said.  
  
"Colin Firth is SO hot."  
  
"You're sick. You know that, Raine?"  
  
"Jess! Come watch Captain America with me!"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"It's not true, Jess. What that guy said. You do deserve friends. And I'd be one of them if you'd like."  
  
"Thanks, Raine."  
  
  
"Jess! Stop staring into oblivion! Work!"  
  
Luke. He knew why she went away. He just wouldn't tell him. He made up this stupid story and left it at that. Luke missed her. He knew it. At night, Jess would hear him walk around the apartment and sigh once in a while.  
  
It was funny. A year ago, he would have been thinking about Rory, doing the exact same thing: closing up. But now, it was Raine who was in his head.  
  
  
"Alright, Leo, the plane's landed, we're here. We still have to drive a bit, though. You tired?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Great! Let's go!"  
  
Leo let out a huff and slowly climbed into the rented car. Ooh, GMC Explorer. Nice. He lay down and was fast asleep in seconds.  
  
He woke up as Raine was pulling over. Leo stared through the tinted windows.  
  
"It's dark out, Raine, we could get mugged."  
  
"You couldn't get mugged here even if you wanted to. And besides, I thought you were my manly bodyguard."  
  
"Crap."  
  
They got off the car and walked towards the Independence Inn. Raine automatically put her sunglasses on. She couldn't risk being seen now.  
  
"What can I do for you?" Michel haughtily asked in his French accent. It made Raine smile.  
  
"We'd like a room please."  
  
  
The next morning, Lorelai and Rory were on their way to the diner, as usual.  
  
"Eew, look at you. All starry-eyed and gross. This isn't healthy for you, Rory."  
  
"I am not starry-eyed or gross. I, am merely anticipating the prospect of seeing my beloved boyfriend again."  
  
They walked into the diner. Lorelai faked a shudder as she saw the scene that took place before her.   
  
"Ah, and from behind the counter, the beloved boyfriend himself looks up from his order sheet and smirks at his giggling girlfriend. You guys are totally grossing me out. Excuse me."  
  
Rory just grinned and sat down at a table. Jess made his way to them, armed with two mugs and a pot of coffee.  
  
"Ugh, you guys. Stop it with the googly eyes. Please."  
  
  
A few minutes later, Rory and Jess left for school. Luke came over and refilled Lorelai's mug.  
  
"Oh, thank God they're gone. Another shared 'moment' between those two and I would have gouged my eyes out with this teaspoon."  
  
"I know. Just listening to Jess on the phone being all nice and sweet's freaking me out. I couldn't sleep last night."  
  
"So, have you heard from Raymond yet?"  
  
Luke just grunted, "No. I haven't."  
  
The door jingled, and caused both of them to look up.  
  
"Hey, Mr. Luke." 


	3. A Hunk-O-Lovin'

0.3 A Hunk-O-Lovin'  
  
[is it bad? i REALLY need your reviews.]  
  
"Oh, my God! Raine! How are you?" Lorelai walked over and gave the visitor a hug.  
  
Luke's eyes blurred as he looked at the hallucination in front of him.  
  
"R-raine?" he whispered. The diner spun. He put the coffee down and squinted through the haziness. He opened his mouth to speak, but passed out instead.  
  
"Still got it. Ha."  
  
After Raine's little comment, she and Lorelai carried him onto a chair.  
  
"Luke?"  
  
"Hey, Mr. Luke!"  
  
Raine slapped him on the face a couple of times.  
  
When Luke finally awoke, he was greeted by a loud yell, "MR. LUKE! WAKE UP! Oh, sorry, I thought you were still passed out."  
  
He could only utter a small groan. He sat straighter, still a little woozy. Lorelai took her mug and offered it to him.  
  
"Here, Luke. Have some coffee."   
  
"You've… grown." Luke said as he surveyed the smiling girl. The little hyper kid was gone. In its place now stood a young lady. But judging from the bellow he just recieved, her mind remained un-aged.  
  
"Is that a good thing?"  
  
From behind Raine, someone spoke, "I just want you to know, I was responsible for this transformation. It took a lot of work, but with a little hair-dye, a little eye-shadow," Leo motioned at Lorelai, "even YOU could look this fabulous."  
  
Raine sighed and rolled her eyes.  
  
"Raine, who is this man who mocks my make-up?"  
  
"Oh. Ah, this is Leo. He's my stylist."  
  
"You brought your own stylist to Stars Hollow."  
  
"He's a stowaway. Snuck in my car when I wasn't looking. Now he's working as my useless gay manly bodyguard."  
  
  
They spent the day talking, with Luke standing up once in a while to help some customers. As time went by, the diner was soon empty. A movement at the door broke their conversation. Raine saw the patron and quickly glanced at her watch. Oh, crap. Jess was home from school.   
  
"Nobody move! Not a word!"  
  
The four of them froze, sitting there like mannequins.  
  
Jess entered. He turned his head slightly and caught a familiar face in the stoic gathering in the corner. He slowly walked to where Raine was sitting and stopped. He squinted at her with a dubious expression on his face.  
  
"Damn!"  
  
"Raine?"  
  
She was in an utter and complete loss for what to say. What the hell do you say to someone you ran away from? Not knowing what to do, she just pretended to be as surprised as he was.  
  
"Cheesebag?"  
  
Jess stared at her for a while. Raine sucked in a breath, nervous to what he would say. After fifty years, he smirked.  
  
"You'll never let me live that down, will you?"  
  
Raine let out the breath she was holding and grinned.  
  
"Well, well, well, is this the infamous Jess? You're quite a hunk-o-lovin'!"  
  
"Oh. God. Did Leo just say that?"  
  
"'Fraid so, Raine." Lorelai confirmed.  
  
Jess just gave Leo a look. Leo didn't get what it meant and mistook it for something else. He wiggled his eyebrows at Jess.  
  
But Leo understood the disgusted look he soon received from him. His eyes darted to Raine, who was shamefully covering her face with her hand.  
  
"Welcome back, Raine." he said casually. He slung his bag over his shoulder and strode towards the stairs that led to the apartment upstairs. 


	4. My Hero!

0.4 My Hero!  
  
When Jess reached his room, he was shaking. His calm exterior fell away and his psyche was conquered by confusion. Different emotions tumbled around him. He lay on his bed and tried to sort everything out. What was he feeling? Anger. Sadness. Joy. Surprise. Hurt.  
  
  
Raine looked over to where Jess had just disappeared. Lorelai had gone home right after Jess' regal exit. Leo, sensing that Raine and Luke wanted to talk, was kind enough to excuse himself, saying that he would take a walk around Stars Hollow. Luke shifted in his seat.  
  
"Was he mad when I left, Mr. Luke?"  
  
"He was. But he was hurt, for the most part. He kind of went silent for a few days. I think Rory helped his recovery a lot, though."  
  
"They're still together, then?"  
  
"Yep. Grosses people out to a great extent. You should ask Lorelai; she almost stabbed herself with a straw the other day. They're quite a couple, actually. It's like they have their own world, most of the time. An own language, even. Jess does this stupid smirk thing, then Rory starts to blush. It's all very weird."  
  
"Huh. That's nice."  
  
"Yeah. And the irony in it is that they owe it all to you."  
  
Raine was motionless. She clicked her tongue and stood up. She smiled slightly.  
  
"I'd better go before Leo scares someone away."  
  
"Uh, Raine?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I, ah, I like this little girly number that you have on. Suits you." Luke gestured towards Raine's outfit.  
  
"Thanks. But don't get used to it, Mr. Luke."  
  
Then she left.  
  
Luke sat alone in the deserted diner, deep in thought. He marveled at Raine's transformation. She was more mature, more level-headed. Raine was still the same in some aspects, but was completely different in others.  
  
A patron walked in, distracting him from his thoughts.  
  
"What can I get you?"  
  
At Luke's Diner that day, a teenager lay on his bed upstairs; a man stood behind a counter downstairs. Both were unmoving, deep in thought; thinking of the same girl who stood outside, thinking of them as well.  
  
  
Jess appeared from the doorway carrying his books. Without stopping, he said, all in one breath, "I can't work today, Luke. I'm swamped with homework. Rory's going to help me so I'm on my way over. Gotta go, bye."  
  
The door jingled shut, leaving Luke to just stare after his nephew's retreating form.  
  
"Luke! I'm being mobbed!" Ceasar, who was quickly disappearing into a blob of townspeople, yelled from one end of the diner. "Help!"  
  
"To the rescue, people." Raine suddenly popped out of nowhere and was already tying an apron around her waist. The nice dress she was wearing was now gone, replaced by sweats and a dark hoodie.  
  
"My hero!" Luke heard Ceasar cry. All he could see now was Ceasar's hand, holding a plate of eggs. He turned to the teenager in front of him. Raine picked up the plates that were waiting to be served.  
  
"I can sub for Jess while he's out smooching with his girlfriend, Mr. Luke."  
  
He thought of a nice thing to say. Nothing came to mind, except, "Thanks for coming back, Raine."   
  
It sounded quite lame, but it did sum up everything he was feeling.  
  
"No problemo, Senyor Lukas." 


	5. Summer Lovin'

0.5 Summer Lovin'  
  
"You know what this diner needs, Mr. Luke?"  
  
"No, but I'm sure that not even a tidal wave through Stars Hollow will stop you from telling me."  
  
"Music."  
  
Luke looked up. Raine was smiling eagerly at him. Jess stayed out of it. Ceasar didn't even hear them.  
  
"As long as it doesn't sound like Godzilla attacking, Lucifer raising hell, or World War III army troops, I'll go with it."  
  
Before Raine could move, Jess had already bounded up the stairs. He came back with a portable stereo and a small crate of his CD's.   
  
"And as long as Jess doesn't own the CD."  
  
"Oh, come on!"  
  
"I've heard the crap you listen to. I won't have you spreading your music-that-sounds-like-people-dying-while-doing-it music."  
  
"Then what do you want? Rory borrowed my Hanson CD."  
  
Raine snorted. Jess and Luke glanced pointedly at her.  
  
"Sorry. The Hanson thing was funny. Ah, I can get some of my CD's. Just give me a few minutes. Um, can somebody drive me to the Independence Inn?"  
  
"Ah, crap. Forget it. No music. Get to work."  
  
"Mr. Luke! No!"  
  
Luke ignored her and went into the kitchen to make some food.   
  
Raine just stood there hopelessly until an idea came to mind.   
  
Jess' mouth turned up when he noticed Raine's shoulder twitching slightly. She'd done this before, and it looked like she was going to do it again.  
  
"Summer lovin', had me a blast…"  
  
He turned as Kirk slowly stood up.  
  
"Summer lovin', happened so fast… oh, damn, we need to switch parts, Raine."  
  
"Let loose, Kirk."  
  
"I met a girl, crazy for me."  
  
Raine walked towards him like Sandy did with Danny.  
  
"Met a boy, cute as can be."  
"Summer days, drifting away, to uh, oh, those summer nights."  
  
Babbette stood up and started doing the chicken dance thing.  
  
"A-wella, wella, wella, tell me moah! Tell me moah! Tell me moah! Did you get very fah?"  
  
Then Miss Patty started to join in, "Tell me more, tell me more, tell me more, like, does he have a car?"  
  
"She swam by me, she got a cramp;"   
"He went by me, got my suit damp;"  
"I saved her life, she nearly drowned;"   
"He showed off, splashing around;"  
"Summer sun, something's begun, but uh-oh those summer nights."  
  
Luke came out, saw the sight, and sighed deeply.  
  
"Tell me more, tell me more, was it love at first sight?"  
"Tell me more, tell me more, did she put up a fight?"  
"Took her bowlin' in the Arcade;"  
"We went strollin', drank lemonade;"  
"We made out under the dock;"   
"We stayed out until ten o'clock;"  
"Summer fling don't mean a thing, but uh-oh those summer nights."  
  
People stopped eating and focused all their attention to Raine, Kirk, Babbette, and Miss Patty.  
  
"Tell me more, tell me more, that you don't got to brag."  
"Tell me more, tell me more, cause he sounds like a drag."  
"He got friendly, holdin' my hand;"   
"Well she got friendly, down in the sand;  
"He was sweet, just turned eighteen;"   
"Well she was good, if you know what I mean;"  
"Summer heat, boy and girl meet, but uh-oh those summer nights."  
"Tell me more, tell me more, how much dough did he spend?"  
"Tell me more, tell me more, could she get me a friend?"  
"It turned colder, that's where it ends;"   
"So I told her we'd still be friends;"  
"Then we made our true love vow;"   
"Wonder what she's doin' now;"  
  
They ended the song with a flourish.  
  
"Summer dreams ripped at the seams, but oh, those summer... naa-haaaights!"  
"Tell me more, tell me moooooore!"  
  
Everyone in the diner cheered and clapped as the four performers bowed. Luke leaned on the counter.  
  
"Very cute."  
  
"We have a second number, Mr. Luke."  
  
"Jess, stick a stupid CD in there. Quick, before she sings again!"  
  
His nephew just had a small grin on him face as he put in an Oasis CD.  
  
"Don't you dare sing with this song, Raine."  
  
"But Mr. Luke! 'You're my wonderwaaa-haaaall…'" 


	6. Skateboards and Beer

0.6 Skateboards and Beer  
  
It was about two-thirty in the morning. Careful not to wake anyone, Leo and Raine took their skateboards and a pack of beer and slowly made their way out of the room, then the Inn. They both reached outside and Leo breathed a sigh of relief. Her board slapped against the asphalt as she dropped it to the ground, and she rode away. Leo soon followed.  
  
Raine and Leo reached the center of town and sat inside the small gazebo. She flicked a can open and took a long swig its contents. With her feet rolling her skateboard around the floor, she studied the whole town. Leo also took a beer and was glad to be himself again, even for a few hours.  
  
"Do you think anyone noticed?"  
  
"With that hunk-o-lovin' comment? I'm pretty sure they didn't."  
  
"Speaking of the hunk-o-lovin', do you still--"  
  
"Since when did you drink? And are you really gay?"  
  
She twisted sharply at Jess' voice. Raine just smiled and offered a beer to him. Jess took it.  
  
"Found us out. Smart."  
  
Leo burped. "I met Raine in New Jersey. I was touring with some of the guys who were in this national skate-thing. She snuck into our bus. One of the guys, Bam, found her asleep in his bunk. We didn't have the heart to throw her out, so we just hired her as one of our assistants. She helped around, we taught her how to skate. I even gave her a new board. The tour stopped in LA. From there, this agent guy saw Raine and hired her as a model on the spot. Raine and I became close during the tour. I didn't want to leave her, so I called my brother, the raging homo and hairdresser, and asked for hairstyling tips. I applied for the stylist job and got in. The people started to gossip about us, and they naturally assumed I was a fag. Became a fun game, so it's kind of a little joke for us to see who can tell and can't."  
  
"So, you're not gay."  
  
"Hundred per cent male, my friend."  
  
"Had me fooled."  
  
"I told you he'd fall for it." Leo said to Raine.  
  
"Why, I am surprised at you, Jess."  
  
Jess lit a cigarette.  
  
"This is so weird."  
  
"Hey, you guys, I'm going to go skate for a while. Can I leave her with you, Jess?"  
  
"Of course. Go ahead."  
  
Leo left. Jess held the cigarette in his hand and studied the girl who sat in front of him.  
  
"You've changed, Raine."  
  
"I hope it's for the better." She gently took the cigarette and gave it a turn.  
  
"I don't know. You didn't use to be this… hard-hitting. You used to be sweet."  
  
"Well, sweet can get us into a lot of trouble." Raine looked at Jess straight in the eye. She suddenly looked away, "You know, I have to go."  
  
Before he could speak, Raine vanished into the shadows. Jess sat in the gazebo for a while and finished his cigarette.  
  
Raine was hiding something.  
  
  
The next morning, at the diner, Kirk came up to Raine.  
  
"Excuse me, Raine?"  
  
Raine looked up from the cash register. "What can I do for you Kirk?"  
  
"Do you dance?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Dance. Do you have good coordination? Because I'm working on my next movie, and I was wondering if you could be in it."  
  
"Gah, uh, yeah, I'm pretty dance-y. Sure, I'll do it."  
  
"Thank you. Can you stop by my house this afternoon?"   
  
"Great. Bye, man."  
  
"Did you just agree to be in Kirk's new movie?" Lorelai asked. 


	7. Jess Loves Me!

0.7 Jess Loves Me!  
  
Raine adjusted the collar on her shirt as it was strangling her to the point of death. She rang the doorbell and waited. A few seconds later, the door opened and Kirk welcomed her in.  
  
"Hey, buddy," she said.  
  
He just looked at her funny. Huh. Quite a weird guy, this Kirk.  
  
  
"Okay, I order a blueberry bagel. It's the last blueberry bagel in the store. You grab my wrist and I give this look," Kirk glared like an insane animal at Raine.  
  
Raine instinctively glared back with a squinty eye.  
  
"Faultless! That's the look I need! Then I throw the blueberry bagel in the air and we fight. I win. Then, I catch the bagel as it falls in the end. Miss Patty is choreographing the fight scene. It's going to be a dance number but a fighting dance number. Do you understand me?"  
  
"Oddly enough, I do."  
  
Raine walked around the living room as Kirk busied himself with his camera equipment. She stopped in front of a wall, covered in black and white photographs in neat frames, and studied each one. They were all pictures of the people in Stars Hollow.  
  
"Hey, Kirk? When did you take these pictures?"  
  
"I used to take them all the time. Kind of spy pictures, if you will," he said, not bothering to look up.  
  
"You're a great photographer."  
  
Silence was her answer. Then, Kirk stood and said, out of the blue, "Thank you."  
  
He walked beside her and explained each one. They reached a familiar scene. It was taken in the diner. She had jumped on Jess' back as he was reaching for a chair. They were both laughing, which was a first, for Jess. Luke was behind the counter with a thoughtful smile on his face.   
  
"So, you and Jess were pretty close."  
  
"Yeah. We used to be."  
  
  
It was two-thirty again. From his room, Jess could hear Raine and Leo. They were laughing, skating, probably drinking. He stared at the shadow which hung from the ceiling and pondered about what went wrong. A while later, he got up, took his jacket and made his way downstairs.  
  
Both Raine and Leo were on their backs, on their skateboards. They were laughing, obviously very drunk.  
  
"HEY! It's Jess! Hi! Hey, you got a nice ass!" Raine slurred and then snickered to Leo who was trying to slide headfirst into a big, cardboard box. She got up and put an arm around Jess. He jumped when he suddenly felt her hand slap his bottom, "Nice, nice, ass…"  
  
That was it. He never did this, but this time it was serious. This was Raine.  
  
Jess left her on a bench and pulled Leo next to her, "Stay."  
  
Leo barked in response and both burst into a drunken laughter.  
  
  
Luke dragged Leo's body into the diner, "Hey, you're pretty strong, man. I weigh, like, three-hundred and sixy-seventeen pounds!"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
Jess carried Raine, piggy-back style, as she requested. She put her arms around Jess' neck and whispered, "I love you, man!"  
  
"Yes, yes, I love you, too."  
  
"YOU DO?! Hey Leo! He loves me back!"  
  
Leo slowly turned around and smiled, "GREAT!"  
  
Raine giggled and gave Jess a sweet kiss on the cheek.  
  
When they reached the apartment, both of them had passed out. Luke ungracefully dropped Leo's form onto the couch, "Can you handle Raine?"  
  
"Yeah. Thanks, Luke. Go get your beauty rest."   
  
Luke was too tired to snap a retort back. He simply nodded and went back to sleep. 


	8. The Band-Aid Theory

0.8 The Band-Aid Theory  
  
Raine woke up with Jess' arms around her, cradling her head. A tear made its way down the pillow. Her shaking must have woken him up because she felt his hold go tighter around her. When he gently kissed her forehead, she lost it. She broke out into hacking, gasping and coughing.  
  
"Are you really crying, or are you just trying to gross me out?"  
  
His comment remained ignored. Raine was still crying.  
  
"Why are you so…nice, Jess?" she managed to hack out.  
  
He gave her a tiny grin, "Because you're a sister to me."  
  
Jess thought that that would finally cheer her up, but it only resulted into even more crying, if that was possible.  
  
He sighed. He'd never understand Raine; never in a thousand years.  
  
"Hey, do you think you could tell me why you left last time?"   
  
Ah, crap.  
  
"Because… ah, I, ah, I just had to?"  
  
"Come on, you leave without saying a word. Then a year after, you suddenly pop up again, out of nowhere and treat me like I'm some guy you didn't spend a whole lot of time with. I know you've been avoiding me: taking the shifts when I'm most likely at school; that music bit so we don't have to talk when we're working together, what happened, Raine? Tell me. Please, don't lie to me."  
  
"I don't want to lie to you," she said, "but I have to." Raine sat up and flung the covers away. She exited his room quickly.  
  
Leo was still on the couch, sleeping. He woke up to Raine's footsteps. He also saw Jess standing by the entrance to his room.   
  
"Uh, I think I'm going to go. You guys have to talk," he said groggily. Jess nodded to him slightly and then Leo left.   
  
They both stood there, waiting for each other to verbalize his and her own thoughts. Finally, Jess spoke.  
  
"Raine, we used to be so close. I was your best friend; not Luke, not Lorelai, not Dean, not Kirk. ME."  
  
"Yeah, but that was before Rory came back, huh?"  
  
The remark surprised him.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"I have to go." Raine walked to the door.  
  
"You're not doing this again, Raine. You can't just leave me hanging like last time."  
  
"Hanging? You practically forgot I existed," she hissed.  
  
Raine opened the door and walked away from Jess. Again. But as Jess had said, she wasn't doing it again. Not this time.  
  
  
Raine got as far as the outside of the diner before she heard Jess calling her name. She looked back, "Shit," and broke into a sprint.  
  
Jess was a fast runner. He was gaining on her. Soon, she ran out of options. She headed towards Taylor's market and stole a cantaloupe. She took aim.   
  
"I'm so sorry, Jess."   
  
  
"I hit him with a cantaloupe, Leo!" Raine cried.  
  
Leo's arms went around Raine as she cried, yet again for the same day.  
  
"I mean, what kind of a person am I? He was just trying to talk to me, and what do I do? Attack him with fruit! Oh, my God, Leo! I'm a terrible person! I probably broke his leg!"  
  
"Raine, shut up. You were frantic. Why was he chasing you anyway?"  
  
"He wanted to know the truth. I couldn't to that! It would destroy his relationship with Rory! And Rory's, like, the perfect girlfriend!"  
  
"Are you sure Raine?" Leo thought for a moment, "I don't know… she kind of talks a lot. And she slouches when she walks. Strikes me as sort of a nerd, actually."  
  
"I'm serious! I can't be Rory no matter how hard I try."  
  
"You don't have to be! You are not perfect, alright? And neither is Rory Gilmore! God! She KISSED another guy while she was with the tall doof, right? Isn't that cheating?"  
  
Raine was quiet.  
  
"And I'm sure she's done a lot more, okay? So don't beat yourself up. You're trying to save him from a ruined relationship, but look what's happened. He's more determined than ever to find out. He even took a cantaloupe for it. He's getting hurt, literally, because of you, Raine. Do you really want that?"  
  
"So you think I should tell him?"  
  
"I think it's for the best. Kind of like that band-aid theory, y'know, where you pull it off all at once so it doesn't hurt as long."  
  
"I can't do it."  
  
"Yes you can. You've been running all your life, aren't you tired yet?" 


	9. Ugly Hair And Books

0.9 Ugly Hair and Books  
  
[if you'd actually gone far enough in the story to see this message, i'd hug you until your eyes pop! thank you so much for reading my story/stories! an even more for reviewing! mwah!]  
  
Jess adjusted his falling backpack on his shoulder. There was a slight limp to his stride, courtesy of the enormous thing Raine had slammed his shin with. "Could have hit me with something smaller; an apple or something. But NO. She had to take the biggest fruit she could find and hurl it at me with the speed of sixty-kilometers per hour."  
  
"Jess."  
  
He looked up and saw his attacker, "What, came to finish me off with a baseball bat?" It suddenly struck him that there was something different about her today. "Are those high heels?"  
  
"Yeah. Uh, Leo made me wear them to keep me from running away."  
  
"Nice of him to suggest so."  
  
An awkward silence came upon them as they walked towards a park bench.  
  
"I wanted to apologize for the cantaloupe, and explain everything. You deserve it, I guess."  
  
"I'd better. I put up with your new scary-ass image of Punk, your drunken fits, and your impeccable aim."  
  
"Do you want to know or what?"  
  
Jess shut his mouth.  
  
"Thank you," after a moment of thought, "I left because when Rory came back, I became invisible to you. I stayed two weeks after you guys got together. You were always off to her house, or on a date, or something that had to do with you, her, and shmoozing. I couldn't take it anymore. I was your friend, Jess, but I could never compete with your girlfriend."  
  
Jess' face softened. "Oh, Raine."  
  
"And that is exactly why I didn't tell you I was leaving. You'd feel sorry for me! I would just like to inform you that I am not in love with you. Anymore."  
  
Jess looked surprised, "You were in love with me?" he said. Then he smirked at Raine's appearance. Aghast.   
  
She shifted uncomfortably in her seat and said, "Y-yes, I was. But not anymore. You're more like my brother now. Besides, you still have ugly hair and-and you read too much." Her eyes darted from side to side, revealing her nervousness.  
  
The smirk still stayed. "If I'm as atrocious as you say," he eyed her carefully, "why'd you come back to Stars Hollow then?"  
  
He could have laughed out loud, but he didn't. The look on Raine's face clearly said, "Ah, crap."   
  
"Well, if you must know, I came back because I was losing my identity." She said it so matter-of-factly, it sounded like she was proud of losing herself.  
  
"Damn, right. You're not the same, Raine. You're different."  
  
"Mature?" she suggested, hopefully.  
  
"No. I mean DIFFERENT. It's like you're a whole other person. It didn't seem like you've grown, it seems like you've CHANGED."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Like I said before, you used to be sweet and kind and modest. Now you're noisy and careless."  
  
"Oh. Really?"  
  
  
In the diner, Leo sat on a barstool and waited for Luke to come out. After a while, he did.  
  
"Hey, Mr. Danes?"  
  
"What do you want, Beer Boy?"  
  
"I wanted to apologize for last night. Raine and I never meant to, um, disrupt your evening, sir."  
  
"Look, kid. Just don't do it again." A wave of fatherliness washed over Luke. "Either stop drinking or stay the hell away from Raine."  
  
"For, you, I'll give up drinking, sir."  
  
"That's nice. But don't just do it for me, do it for yourself and for Raine, too. Do you know how many brain cells one swig of beer can kill?"  
  
"You are sounding like a cross between a concerned father and an anti-beer commercial right now."  
  
"Go away or order something."  
  
"A burger and some fries, please."  
  
The door gave its familiar jingle and announced a customer. Leo turned to see who it was.  
  
"Hey, Dean. What can I get you?" Luke asked, taking an order pad in his hand.  
  
  
"The weirdest thing happened, Raine! This guy came in and my sweat glands suddenly went into overdrive! Crap! My heart was pounding like a stinking jackhammer! What the hell is wrong?!"  
  
"Leo, shut up. You're hysterical."  
  
"And I think I may also be gay." 


	10. Stars Hollow Town Prom

1.0 Stars Hollow Town Prom  
  
"Hey, Luke-a-m'bob. A tankard or your best coffee, please."  
  
"A mug of poison. Coming right up."  
  
Lorelai slid into her seat across from Rory. Her daughter was playing with the hem of her kilt. Something was obviously wrong.  
  
"Something is obviously wrong. You never play with your clothes. Is there something wrong about your clothes?"  
  
"No. I'm kind of worried about Jess."  
  
"Why, honey?"  
  
"Well, he's spending quite a lot of time with Raine now. I know it's stupid, and nothing, but I can't help it. I don't want to be the jealous psychopathic girlfriend, but…"  
  
"I'm sure it's nothing, Rory. As much as I hate saying it, Jess is SO in to you, believe me. My eyeballs are swelling from rolling them too much. Jess and Raine are just sorting some things out. And besides, we could always plan a devious revenge, involving a razor and pudding, if Jess does something wrong."  
  
"Okay… changing topic now; so, what are the plans for the September Festival? Anything fun?"  
  
"I have no idea, my friend. Taylor says it's a surprise and everyone will love it. But I'm pretty sure that it's going to turn out the same as last year and everyone will hate it. I hope we at least get to fling tomatoes at him this year."  
  
Luke appeared with the coffee. "Fling what at who?"  
  
"Tomatoes."   
  
"At Taylor."  
  
"I'll order a fresh crate tomorrow."  
  
  
Bang! Bang! Bang! Taylor smacked his podium to get the attention of the boisterous people before him.  
  
"Is everyone present? Yes? Okay. I would now like to formally open this town meeting. First thing on the list: this year's September Festival."  
  
A collective groan was made by a few people at the back. Taylor ignored this.  
  
"This year's theme is… Come As You Aren't Party!"  
  
"UGH!" Lorelai started, "you stole that theme from an Archie Comic! It was when Veronica threw this party—"  
  
"Can't we have another theme?"  
  
Taylor frowned.  
  
"Fine! You people vote on a theme!"  
  
The crowd fell silent.   
  
"How about… Prom?"  
  
Everyone turned to see who had suggested it. Raine stood meekly at the back, next to a very jumpy Leo [They had talked about it and realized that Leo was indeed gay and had the hots for Dean. Leo is still having trouble accepting this fact.].   
  
"Prom?"  
  
"Yeah, like a Stars Hollow Town Prom. The ladies get to primp and get all excited, just like in high school; the gentlemen get to pay for everything and see their date all dressed up."  
  
Taylor surveyed the townspeople and shrugged. "Who here says 'Aye'?"  
  
It took all of them a few seconds to think about it, but almost everyone liked the idea of a Stars Hollow Town Prom.  
  
"Prom it is. Congratulations and thanks to the young lady at the back with the fine suggestion."  
  
"It's not an auction, Taylor." Lorelai called.  
  
  
Lorelai and Rory were eating breakfast by the window the next day.   
  
"Aw, ain't that just the cutest thing in the world." Babbette daintily placed her hand on her chest.  
  
Rory, with a mouth full of pancakes, slowly followed Babbette's gaze. Outside was her boyfriend, Jess holding the Specials Board against his chest. Rory stopped chewing.  
  
"Please go to the prom thing with Jess." And beside his name was a small smiley face.  
  
Lorelai choked on her eggs and Rory choked on her pancakes. 


	11. Casey and Fiona

1.1 Casey and Fiona  
  
[i love the people who review! it just occured to me that i don't speak to you guys...Andy, i'll try to do that model clothes thing you suggested! Charmed-13, no, you're not a bad person! Phoenix, thank you so much for reviewing a lot!]  
  
Jess smiled inwardly at Rory's reaction. He loved surprising Rory. It was as fun as ruffling Luke's feathers once in a while. A small whistle caught his attention. Still holding the Specials Board, he turned. Raine and Leo stood side by side across the street and had their skateboards against their chests.  
  
Raine flipped hers over to reveal the grip tape on her board. It said, written boldly in white chalk, "Jess is"  
  
Then Leo did the same thing shortly after Raine. His said, "a priss"  
  
Jess gave them a harmless glower and they both ran away snickering like little children.  
  
  
Inside the diner, Luke noticed Lorelai and Rory gasping for air. He walked over to them with the coffee pot in hand.   
  
"What the hell happened to you two? Did your throats constrict? Was there something in the food? There better not be; I'll strangle Ceasar with my bare hands."  
  
Then he saw his "adorable" nephew outside.  
  
"JESS! GET YOUR UGLY BUTT IN HERE!"  
  
That kid really ruffled his feathers sometimes.  
  
  
That night, Leo and Raine stayed indoors at the Independence Inn, afraid of repeating the drunken incident the other night. The two friends lay on their beds, staring at the ceiling.   
  
"I, ah, got two calls the other day," Leo said.  
  
"Who from?"  
  
"They were all from Daligne. She called my cell to say that we've got a week to 'get our fabulous asses back to LA' or we're toast."  
  
"Huh."  
  
Silence filled the room once again.  
  
"Hey, do you remember Casey from the skate tour?"  
  
"What? Oh, yeah. Of course."  
  
"He was cool, wasn't he? Real nice guy. Thoughtful. Gentlemanlike."  
  
"Forget it. He's not gay, Leo. He also has a girlfriend, remember?"  
  
"Yes, I am aware that he isn't gay. I also am aware that he has a girlfriend… the Bitch."  
  
"Fiona isn't that bad. I think."  
  
"Oh, please. Fiona's the Devil. Fiona's the Prince of Darkness with boobs. She treats Casey like crap: 'Get me that Pepsi, Casey!'; 'Casey! Massage my dirty, disgusting, wart-infested feet!'; 'Casey! Blah, blah, blah!'"   
  
"I know. Casey was so sweet to her, though. Aw, I love Casey. He's such a cutiepie."  
  
Leo didn't reply. He was all too sure how Casey would react if he'd heard what Raine had just said about him. The guy would probably explode from all that blushing and pass out or something.  
  
See, Casey was one of those soft-spoken people. He usually stood in the background, not exactly blending in, but not a total wallflower either. He's great if he gave you the rare chance to get to know him better. If he lets you in that zone [or if he was REALLY drunk], you'd see a completely different Casey. He was smart; not academic smart, but witty, funny, street-smart. People teased him, but nobody really messed with him. You did not want to see Casey angry, not even pissed. He's a Travis Barker, if you will. Yes, the Blink 182 drummer. Seriously. That's really how he was. He was kind of an outcast, but had enough social skills to make friends. That's why he fit in so well with Leo's crowd. Skateboarding was his passion, his life. Man, that guy can skate vert or freestyle. He can do anything with his skateboard. He was also very much attracted to Raine.  
  
How he got mixed up with that horrible gorilla Fiona was beyond Leo. Fiona was one of the reasons why it wouldn't work out then. She was constantly in their way, usually asking something from Casey. Another was Jess. Raine was so hung up over him that she didn't realize that Casey was always behind her, waiting – and usually so nervous he'd faint or sometimes even throw up. But now that Jess and Raine had agreed on being just best friends...  
  
"It's good to know you like the guy."  
  
Raine watched Leo carefully. "Why?" she asked slowly.  
  
"Becausehe'scomingtomorrow. Goodnight!"  
  
Then Leo turned away from Raine sleeping, leaving his friend to think about what he had just blurted out. 


	12. Raine's Hot Guy Night

1.2 Raine's Hot Guy Night  
  
  
The next day, Raine and Leo were at the video store, preparing for a movie marathon. As they walked around, they bumped into Jess and Rory, who were also there to rent some movies.   
  
"Hey Raine, hey Leo." Rory greeted.  
  
"Hi Rory!" Raine nodded towards Jess, "Chester Cheetah."  
  
Jess ignored her remark. His eyes landed on the half-full basket that Leo was holding.  
  
"Going for a theme here, people?"  
  
"Actually, yes. Um, Books Turned Into Movies."  
  
"A nice thesis."  
  
"Do you guys want to join us? That is unless you have some more making out to do…"  
  
Rory turned ten shades for red. Jess' mouth turned up at his girlfriend's reaction.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Great! You'll get to meet Casey!" Raine stopped, "Ah, crap, Casey! What time is he coming again?"  
  
  
"'Bridget Jones's Diary'. 'Bridget Jones's Diary, the Sequel'. 'The Importance Of Being Earnest'. How ironic. There seem to be an awful lot of Books Turned Into Movies with Colin Firth in them…" Jess eyed Raine carefully.  
  
She gave him a semi-guilty look and cleared her throat, "Yeah, ironic, isn't it?"  
  
"'A Walk To Remember'? Are you serious?"  
  
"Shane West is a hot little man."  
  
"You are SO gross, Raine. This isn't Books Turned Into Movies! This is Raine's Hot Guy Night!"  
  
"Shut your pie hole, Jess."  
  
Casey picked up 'Pride and Prejudice' and was about to say something but a glare from his friend kept his mouth shut.  
  
They now all sat in the room in the Independence Inn, with videos scattered around the floor and the smell of popcorn wafting in the air. Casey had arrived a few minutes earlier and was forced to join the movie night since, according to Leo and Jess, "Stars Hollow is the most boring place on earth."  
  
"Okay, everyone ready? What's first? The Importance Of Being Earnest? Oh, great. But after this we are SO going for Leonardo DiCaprio -- The Man in The Iron Mask." Leo said.  
  
Raine jumped onto the edge of her bed and motioned for Rory to do the same. She meekly complied. Raine noticed the girl's ambiguity towards her right away. She bumped her shoulder against hers and said, "You're not afraid of me, are you?"  
  
Rory gave her a faint smile. She was about to reply when Casey jumped in and settled himself at Raine's feet.   
  
"Hey." he croaked.  
  
"Rory, this wonderful young man, this skateboard god, is Casey. Casey, this shy girl is Jess' girlfriend, Rory."  
  
"Hey," the girl said.  
  
Casey nodded in understanding but didn't say anything. So this was the girl that Raine kept talking about. Hmm. She said that this Rory girl was pretty perfect. He furrowed his eyebrows. Kinda quiet and slouchy...  
  
Then he noticed the uneasy look Rory had given him. He had been staring. Casey quickly turned towards the television and remained silent. Raine saw his embarrassment and decided to cheer him up.  
  
"You have something on your face." Raine whispered to him during the movie.  
  
Casey ran his hands over his face and frowned.   
  
"I'm growing a goatee, Raine." he said with mock offense. He heard Raine chuckle behind him. A slow smile settled on his face. Raine's pranks really sucked, but they always made him smile. 


	13. Fiona's Whereabouts

1.3 Fiona's Whereabouts  
  
"I am so excited for the Prom!" Lorelai said at breakfast, "You get to go away and leave me at home watching TV. I am pigging out tomorrow night; candy, cake, the works. Total piggage. That's an appointment for me and food."  
  
"You really want to go, don't you?" her daughter asked.  
  
"Yes I do. But I have no date." the mother replied sadly.  
  
"Go with Luke, then."  
  
"He's not going," she gave Luke a scowl.  
  
Raine then came to refill their coffee mugs. She heard the last bit and said, "I can set you up with a blind date, it you want, Ms. Lorelai."  
  
"No."  
  
"That was pretty fast."  
  
"No. The last time I went on a blind date, I was ready to claw my date's face off."  
  
"Well, Rune was a little weird, but not all guys are like him." Rory said helpfully.  
  
"I promise you that this guy is cool. Trust me, Ms. Lorelai. It was like you went with me."  
  
Lorelai blinked at Raine and said, "Well, that's pretty promising…"  
  
"You know what I mean."  
  
Lorelai hesitated and turned to her daughter. Rory was looking at her expectantly.  
  
"Ugh. Fine. But if this guy is a weirdo, I am moving you and Leo to the crappy room."  
  
When Raine walked away, Lorelai broke into a smile, "I have a date! Yay!"  
  
"You seriously need some counseling."  
  
  
The Prom thing was the next day. The whole town was busy that night. Jess, the Gilmores and Raine had all agreed earlier that Jess was to spend the night at the Inn and Raine was to do the same at Rory's house.   
  
As the girls did their nails, they talked.  
  
"So, Raine, are you going to tell me what sort of psycho you have lined up for me tomorrow?"  
  
"No."  
  
"A clue? What does he look like?"  
  
"He's tall. Has hair…"  
  
"Oh, he has hair; I'm buying my wedding dress first thing tomorrow!"  
  
"So, Rory, what are you wearing?"  
  
"I still have no idea, actually," she flipped through a magazine, "I was thinking something along the lines of this." It was a simple black dress with little strappy things on the shoulders.  
  
"Looks hard to get into with all those straps."  
  
"Yeah. But it's really beautiful."  
  
"I think I have something like that." Raine smiled, "I can give it to you tomorrow."  
  
Lorelai suddenly pitched forward and grabbed the magazine. She held it against Raine's face.   
  
"This is you, isn't it?"  
  
Raine just smiled slightly and awkwardly.   
  
  
Casey, Leo and Jess sat on the floor in a small circle playing poker.   
  
"AAHH! Straight flush! Straight flush!"  
  
"You cheater!"  
  
"Hey Casey, where's Satan—I mean, Fiona?" Leo asked suddenly.  
  
"I don't know. She ran off with some bartender."  
  
"Heartbroken?"  
  
"'Course not. Fiona WAS evil, wasn't she?"  
  
"Yeah, Fiona's like, that witch in Sleeping Beauty, the cartoon, I mean."  
  
"The one with the horns?"  
  
"Yeah. That's her."  
  
"So, Leo, is Raine still hung up over this dork?" Casey said pointing to Jess.  
  
"I don't know." Leo looked at Jess, "Is she?"  
  
"No. Evidently, according to her, I had 'ugly hair' and I 'read too much'."  
  
"You DO have ugly hair, man. Leo's a stylist isn't he? Maybe he can fix it."  
  
"There is nothing wrong with my hair, alright?!"  
  
Casey and Leo exchanged glances, "Okay, whatever you say, dude."  
  
Jess scowled, "It's too high, isn't it?" 


	14. Why Raine Has No School

1.4 Why Raine Has No School  
  
[to Andy: i know it's not exactly what you had in mind, but i ran out of ideas.]  
  
[this isn't a very vital part of the story, but i just wanted to give an explaination as to why Raine doesn't go to school. and i thought that the Wuthering Heights comparison was cool.]  
  
The morning of the Prom, Lorelai was still asleep and Rory had just woken up. Raine was gone, but in her place lay the very same dress that Rory had pointed out the night before. It was even prettier than in the magazine. Next to it lay a small paper which Raine obviously stole from Rory's desk.  
  
"Knock his socks off, sistah."  
  
Rory smiled and her heart filled with gratitude towards Raine. She really was as sweet as Jess had said; and every bit as kind.  
  
"Mom! Look!"  
  
Lorelai groggily heaved herself up and squinted at the sunlight. When her blurry vision cleared up, she almost fell off the bed.  
  
"Ooh, my. You're a regular Cinerella now, aren't you? Ugh, I wish your Fairy Godmother won't screw up MY Prince Charming."  
  
Truthfully, Lorelai was looking forward to the Prom. She didn't get to attend hers when she was a senior. But a small part of her was dreading the event. That stupid blind date thing made her queasy. It wasn't that she didn't trust Raine… okay, she just really didn't trust Raine.  
  
"Don't worry, mom. Your date will be fine. If it doesn't I'm sure you'll think of something."  
  
"Right, we should have some sort of signal. Okay, when I do this," she rubbed her forehead, "it means I'm in real trouble. When I do this –"  
  
"Let's go get some food first, before we hatch our evil plot."  
  
"Yes, villains also need their energy."  
  
  
When they got to Luke's Diner, Raine, Leo and Casey were sitting down, eating their breakfasts and laughing. Jess was on duty but he still managed to get in a bit of the conversation. He was also wearing one of Luke's baseball caps. Lorelai sat on a barstool while Rory walked over to the happy group.  
  
"RORY!" they all cried in unison.  
  
"Hey guys! How did it go last night?"  
  
"Great, wouldn't you say, Leo?"  
  
"Oh, fabulous. Don't you agree, Jess?"  
  
"A very nice evening, if I do say so myself."  
  
"Uhy, you guys sound like Athos, Porthos and Aramis." Raine said, exasperated.  
  
"Then you can be d'Artagnan!" Casey announced.  
  
"Speaking if books, have you guys ever noticed how Wuthering Heights this all is?" Raine said, gesturing toward Jess and Rory and Luke and Lorelai.  
  
"See, Heathcliff," she pointed to Luke; "Cathy," to Lorelai; "Young Cathy," to Rory; "Hey, Hareton," she said to Jess.  
  
"How so?" Jess asked curiously.  
  
Raine nodded towards Luke and Lorelai, who thankfully couldn't hear.  
  
"True love wouldn't work in the first generation;"  
  
She then turned to Jess and Rory.  
  
"But was carried on by the second. The whole Lorelai and the Catherine names being repeated is another cool thing."  
  
The group silently took it all in while Jess suspiciously watched Raine.  
  
"How do you know all this? You said you hated reading."  
  
Leo laughed, "Are you kidding us? Raine graduated two years ahead of her class! She's a total nerd! Ah, in a cool way."  
  
Raine just forced a smile.  
  
"Huh. Really. So that's why you don't go to school."  
  
"Gah… hey! What's with the Mr. Luke thing?" she asked, trying to turn the subject matter away from herself.  
  
Casey and Leo snickered.  
  
Jess stared pointedly at them and said, "It's a surprise for Rory, and something to shut you up."  
  
"Really now."  
  
"Yes. But I'm not showing it until tonight."  
  
"Damn." 


	15. Someone Not Twenty

1.5 Someone Not Twenty  
  
[it's almost done! one more chapter and your suffering is over!]  
  
Knock – knock – knock!  
  
Loreali took a deep breath as she walked over to the door. Rory and Jess had already left for the town square. This was it. A part of her hoped that it would somehow be Luke standing outside, with a bouquet of flowers. That image surprised her and she quickly shoved it aside.  
  
She apprehensively opened the door. Both happiness and disappointment consumed her. She gulped in the bile of discontent and managed to smile politely.  
  
"Leo, I'm so glad it's you!"  
  
  
It was a quiet walk to the Prom for both of them. When they were a few steps away from the festivities, Leo spoke.  
  
"Wasn't quite who you expected?"  
  
"Honestly, no. I imagined someone older. Someone not twenty."  
  
"That's good because I'm not your date—" Leo looked at something behind her and walked away grinning.  
  
"—I am."   
  
Lorelai turned and saw Luke in a suit and tie. She smiled. It took a lot to get Luke out of his plaid uniform. Raine had really outdone herself.  
  
"I appreciate it, my friend."  
  
Luke grunted, "You'd better. This tie is killing me."  
  
  
"You look nice, Rory." Jess said as he pulled her into a charming kiss.  
  
"You don't look to bad yourself, Jess. I love the new hair. Looks easier to maintain."  
  
"Yeah. Imagine how much I'd save on hair gel."  
  
Actualy, there was quite a stir over Jess new hair-do. Leo walked over to the small crowd.  
  
"Here comes the genius himself."  
  
"Thank you, thank you."  
  
Raine was laughing so hard she had tears I her eyes, "I love it! It's so cool!" She ran a hand over her friend's newly bald head. Yes, people, Leo had shaved Jess' head.  
  
  
"So where's Satan—gah, Fiona?" Raine asked casually.  
  
"Why so interested in Fiona?" Casey asked in the same tone.  
  
"Because she's so mean to you, Casey."  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"… she also stole, ah, my shoes…"  
  
Casey just laughed at his date's very lame answer. But Fiona DID have a thing for shoes…  
  
  
Someone had set up a small bar. Leo walked over to it to get some drinks. He almost had a heart attack right then and there as Dean suddenly approached him.  
  
"Nice work with Jess' hair."  
  
Leo's chest began to pound again.   
  
"Y-yeah. Thanks."  
  
"So I hear you guys are going soon."  
  
"Yep. We're going away tomorrow."  
  
"Well, good luck then." Dean said as he straightened up to leave. He extended his hand for a handshake.  
  
Leo just nodded and took Dean's hand.  
  
"Bye, man."  
  
"So long," he watched as Dean disappeared into the crowd, "you hot thing."  
  
  
"Hey, where's Raine and Jess?" Casey asked, "Raine's MY date."  
  
Rory chuckled. For the first time in weeks, she wasn't worried about those two being alone.  
  
"I have no idea. Oh, no, wait! There they are!"  
  
  
Sitting on a park bench, Raine and JEss were surveying the party and its crowd. From a distance, Rory and Casey saw Raine put a sisterly arm around Jess' shoulder and pull him into a hug.  
  
"She's saying goodbye." 


	16. Best Man?!

1.6 Best man!?  
  
It had been a few months since Raine, Leo and Casey left. Jess had just come home from school and eagerly assaulted the mail. He saw two that were addressed to him. They were from Raine. He smiled as he pulled out a magazine article from the first one:  
  
  
RAINE, RAINE, DON'T GO AWAY: A Special Interview With Raine LaMont .  
  
  
Raine is the fashion world's newest gem. At the age of 18, she has managed to go from Runaway Kid to Runway Star. Hailing from a small town named Stars Hollow in Connecticut, she's had a very level-headed upbringing. Currently engaged to very, very hot Pro-Skateboarder Casey Donovan, she seems to have everything. There have also been talks of her starring in a movie next to English actor, Colin Firth…  
  
  
Jess just had to laugh out loud at the irony of it all. He walked over to the telephone and dialed Rory's phone number.  
  
"Hey, Rory. You'll never believe what I got in the mail…"  
  
"You'll never believe what I'm seeing in the magazine in front of me now…"  
  
Jess smirked, "Oh, I think I'm starting to have an inkling."  
  
  
He opened the other envelope and took out what seemed to be a wedding invitation:  
  
  
You are cordially invited to attend the Nuptial of Casey Donovan and Raine LaMont  
  
  
The following are to be in the procession:  
Best Men: Leonard Jockman and Jess Mariano  
Maid of Honor: Lorelai L. Gilmore.  
Etcetera…  
  
  
Below his invitation was a neon pink Post-It Note:  
  
"Go or I will hunt you down and kill you, you priss!"  
  
"Oh, God, Rory, Raine sent me a wedding invitation. Do you have one?"  
  
"I'll go check… Oh! Yes I do!"  
  
Both of them blinked.  
  
"I'M the Maid Of Honor?!"  
  
"…Best Man?!"  
  
From the background, they heard Lorelai yell, "OH! Cool! All-expense paid tickets to Los Angeles! Hey Rory!"  
  
They both said their goodbyes afterwards. Jess came down to tell Luke the news.  
  
"Hey Luke, are you afraid of airplanes?"  
  
END  
  
[i know it's a pretty short chapter for the ending, i apologize. so, what do you guys think? please tell me stuff i need to work on, or stuff you really liked! i don't care! talk to me! i'd appreciate your feedback very much! i'll have another story on the way!] 


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